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After magicseen chatted to Ian Keable, one of the countries funniest magicians and mind-readers. If you would like to read more interesting things about Mr Keable, such as: What is his favourite kitchen utensil? Then read the latest copy of magicseen (available through magicworld.co.uk!), where you can find out such things in the privacy of your own home.

a) Has mind reading been ‘done to death’?

Clearly not, as there are plenty of very successful mind readers working at the moment. Indeed one result of Derren Brown’s success is that more and more magicians are doing mind reading. Agents now recognise what it means (because they have seen what Derren does) and therefore they can on-sell it to clients. I can only see an increase in the number of mind readers over the next few years.

However I think if somebody wants to go down that path and make a real impact in terms of television, then he, or indeed she, is going to have to come up with a different angle from that of Derren. Otherwise there is a danger (which some have already fallen into) of just looking like a wannabe Derren. I fear I have no particular insight into what that angle is – otherwise I might be doing it myself!

b) Have you always been a mind reader? If not, what was your background or trade?

Although I mention in my publicity that I do mind reading, I really don’t consider myself a mind reader. In fact I call myself a ‘magician and mind reader’ – and these days the magic is taking preference over the mind reading. Part of that reason, to follow up on the previous question, is Derren. He is the most complete performer of this style of magic that I have ever seen. Not only is he totally believable and does extremely strong effects, he is also very funny (this comes across live more than it does on television), not to mention good looking, charismatic and young. That type of competition is way outside my league!

I am reverting back therefore to what is probably my main strength – which is combining magic and laughs. Whereas previously, in looking for new effects, I was hunting around for mind reading type tricks, I am now not so bothered: my only criteria is that it is strong magic with possibilities of a humorous presentation.

Prior to being a magician I was an accountant by profession.

c) Is there anyone you've seen performing over the last year that has blown your socks off? Or who was the last to do that?

I’m not really into close-up magic these days – I watch very little. And it tends to be in close-up where you are going to have your socks knocked off. The last time I was fooled very badly was by Nic Einhorn in The Magic Circle Centenary Close-up competition. Basically he made a hole appear in his tie and I have no idea.

I was in Las Vegas a couple of years ago and I was pretty blown away by Mac King’s show. He didn’t really fool me (although I did see it twice which helps!); but the whole structure of the show, the running gags, the use of call backs, the flawless magic, his superb persona, the fact that all his humour is totally situation based is just a joy to behold.

d) Do you change your act regularly - do you tend to rotate effects to 'give them a run out'? Or do you stick to the tried and tested?

I guess the basic structure of my act remains unchanged but I do work on new material. I think it is important to do so because I have seen so many acts who are still doing exactly the same tricks with exactly the same patter as they did thirty years ago.

For my 45 corporate act (my bread and butter, if you like) I certainly would not rotate effects. When a new effect comes in that would be to replace an old one. The majority of the work is on adding a new line here or there to an existing trick; or maybe making a slight change to the structure.

The other way I work on new material is to work in different arenas. Last summer I was working in hotels abroad and they wanted an hour cabaret. Some of my corporate material was not suitable for that audience so I was forced to work on quite a bit of new stuff. Which was great.

e) Is there anyone you particularly admire as an inventor of effects?

I’m not really into new effects. There are so many brilliant effects around, why waste your energies on coming up with new ones? Cut and restored rope, bill in lemon, linking rings, coin in bottle – how could anyone in a million years of thinking come up with anything as good as these? In any event most so-called new effects are just slight variations on existing effects. What is exciting, in my mind, is a new presentation to an existing effect

Having written that, there are one or two magicians who seem to come up with genuine new effects. Kevin James is somebody who I am totally in awe of. His Bowling Ball production and Snow Animator are sheer genius.

f) Is there less and less opportunities on TV? Has the magic bubble burst?

I think it is clear that at present there are much more opportunities on TV than there was say 10 years. The digital age and multi-channels means that television channels are crying out for material. I have seen literally dozens of different magicians pop up on television over the last couple of years – whereas in Paul Daniels hey day in the 1980s there was … Paul Daniels.

I am sure, though, that it is as difficult to become a magic star now as it was in Paul Daniels day.

I think the major change is that whereas in Daniels’ day you got on television because you were good live (e.g. Wayne Dobson, The Great Soprendo, Paul Zenon), you can now get on television because you are good at being on television. It is very easy to knock some of the present younger television magicians but what they are learning is how to do television magic. And they will eventually come very good at it. That does not necessarily mean they will be great live performers as well; but I suspect that does not matter in terms of a career. They might move onto other television presenting besides magic (which is what Stephen Mulhern and Dominic Wood have done). I wouldn’t be surprised if Pete Firman and Ali Cook didn’t do that as well.

Answering the question personally I think there are less opportunities for me on TV. Five years ago I used to do at least one bit of television a year. The last TV I did was Bradley Walsh’s The Big Stage and that must have been five years ago. Nobody is interested in booking an act anymore; and an act is what I do. I’m not really into doing the type of magic which is popular at the moment on television – even if somebody was prepared to back me which, given my age and looks, is highly unlikely.

However times change so I’m not ruling anything out. Eventually a variety type show will probably come back of sorts and maybe there will be a slot in it for me. But I’m not holding my breath and certainly not having sleepless nights about it.

g) Is there anything you really don't like about the magic world?

On the whole I love the magic world. However I do get annoyed by the ruthless selling techniques of some of the present day close-up magic lecturers (mostly, it must be said, from North America).

h) What do you get the biggest kick out of: writing your scripts and material or the adulation of the masses when you astound them?

A combination of the two. Taking a trick, writing patter that fits and eventually, over many performances, coming up with a finished routine that gets laughs and a moment of astonishment – that’s what it is all about for me.

i) What's the worst type of audience?

A drunk audience – those who are too inebriated to be able to concentrate on watching and listening simultaneously (which is what is required with most magic acts).